Ohio Gov. Kasich to Sign Sweeping Education Changes

Ohio Republican Gov. John Kasich is scheduled to sign a sweeping education bill into law Monday that strengthens academic standards of the state’s public schools, gets rid of failing charter schools, and makes dozens of other policy changes.

According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, under the tough, results-driven bill, third-graders could be held back up to two years to improve reading skills and teachers who are considered ineffective in the class room will have to undergo retesting and further training to keep their certifications.

The bill also includes provisions to provide more help to special needs students, including a requirement that they get eye exams.

The measure was approved by the Senate last month. But Republicans stalled it in the state House for nearly three weeks because they said they wanted more time to study it.

In the end, a GOP provision was removed from the final bill that would have allowed the creation of up to 16 tax-funded charter schools for gifted students. In addition, a GOP provision was also struck from the measure that would have continued tax exemptions for charter schools that serve dropouts.